The tenure of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Maurice Iwu, may not be extended if feelers that emanated from the Presidency in Abuja on Sunday turn out to be true.



A Presidency source told our correspondent on the telephone that Iwu’s fate had been sealed as four prominent Nigerians had been shortlisted as his likely successors.



The source, who said that Acting President Goodluck Jonathan was determined to enthrone a credible electoral process, named a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), as one of the four men.



The others are a former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Attahiru Jega; the Director of Centre for Democracy and Development, Abuja, Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim; and the President of Transparency Nigeria, an arm of Transparency International, Maj-Gen. Ishola Williams (rtd.).



He added that it was an open secret that Iwu‘s supervision of the electoral body had continued to attract condemnations.



The source said, “I can authoritatively tell you that the Presidency has made up its mind on Iwu. Since his five-year tenure will expire in June, the Presidency has decided to shop for a credible replacement.



“Please note that the four shortlisted candidates are men of proven integrity and I can tell you that the Acting President will have no difficulty in chosing one of them for the post.



“There is no way the Presidency will be insensitive to the criticism of Nigerians over the tenure of INEC boss and pretend that all is well with the leadership of the electoral body. Don‘t forget that the judgment of the Federal High Court in Lagos that the present INEC is not competent to organise election is still binding until it is set aside by a higher court.”



Agbakoba, a prominent lawyer from the South-East and and human rights activist, is well respected in the civil society, having founded the Civil Liberties Organisation during military rule.



Jega played a pivotal role in the fight to ensure that the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida-led military government improved the welfare of university teachers.



Williams is respected for his contributions to the country’s war against corruption, while Ibrahim, the director the non-governmental organisation, the CDD, had also made impact on the civil society community.



Also, Williams, Agbakoba, Jega and Ibrahim were members of the Justice Muhammadu Uwais-led 22-member Electoral Reform Committee.



President Umaru Yar‘ Adua had inaugurated the committee to review the electoral system and ensure that subsequent elections met international standards. The panel had submitted its report to Yar’Adua before he went to Saudi Arabia for treatment of Acute Pericarditis late last year.



Though efforts made to reach Agbakoba was unsuccessful as at press time, one of his lawyers, Mr. Norrison Quakers, told our correspondent that he (Agbakoba) would soon react to the issue.

Source: Punch
http://www.punchontheweb.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201003225475742

I think the visit of Dr.Goodluck to White House will give us goodluck

[b]Saharareporters has learned that Maurice Iwu, the embattled chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has authorized a plan by his family and other US-based hirelings to organize a protest against Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s acting president who arrives the US tomorrow, and President Barack Obama. Our sources disclosed that Iwu, who has a long history of fraud, has been infuriated since learning that Jonathan is dead set against renewing him as INEC chair.

“He’s not taking his impending sack lightly, and he has decided to take the fight to the US,” said one of our sources who is in Iwu’s circles.

Our sources revealed that the protests are being organized by Iwu’s children in the Maryland area as well as some associates who have benefited from Iwu’s corrupt largesse since he assumed office five years ago as INEC chairman.

“Some of the protesters will carry placards condemning Jonathan’s decision to remove Iwu while others will criticize the Obama administration for openly demanding Iwu’s ouster,” said one source. He added that Iwu instructed that the demonstrators try to speak to the US media and to emphasize that “Obama should not interfere in the internal affairs of Nigeria.”

Over the last five weeks, Iwu has launched an extensive campaign in a bid to retain his seat as head of the electoral commission. A senior INEC source told Saharareporters that Iwu “is disdainful of the idea that a majority of Nigerians as well as the US, the UK and the EU would want to see him step aside.” The source added that Iwu’s campaign to retain his post is being financed by some politicians propelled into office by Iwu’s fraudulent electoral methods. “Professor Iwu enjoys the support of the powerful but amorphous organization of Nigerian state governors known as ‘Governors Forum’ as well as many members of the National Assembly that he helped rigged into office in 2007. Most of Iwu’s campaign budget has come from Governor Ohakim [of Imo] who fears that his reelection will become impossible if Iwu leaves INEC,” added the source.

Two weeks ago, former Biafran leader Dim Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu drew sharp criticism when he canvassed support for Iwu’s re-appointment as INEC chair. Ojukwu, who is leader of APGA, based his support on the conduct of the February 6 2010 governorship election in Anambra which he described as exemplary. Incumbent Governor Peter Obi of APGA was declared winner of the election.

Iwu’s war chest and ferocious campaign have been countered by widespread demonstrations against him. “Mr. Iwu’s departure would be one signal from the Jonathan administration of a commitment to credible polls in 2011,” a State Department official told Saharareporters today.

Investigation by Saharareporters revealed that Iwu’s reputation for fraud long predated his appointment into INEC. He used a fake bachelor’s degree to gain admission into Bradford University in London where he studied pharmacology. In 1993, Iwu stole $45,000 that was mistakenly credited to his account with CITIBANK. When the bank discovered the mistake, Iwu claimed he withdrew and spent the money because he thought it came from some research grants he had applied for. Iwu did not fully repay CITIBANK until his appointment as INEC chair. Iwu’s most startling fraud was when he claimed he had invented a cure for the dreaded Ebola virus. Based on the false claim, the US government gave him a huge research grant that ran into more than $4 million. “The sad part of the scam is that Iwu’s lab never produced even a soup,” said a US scientist knowledgeable about the issue.

Earlier today, aides to Jonathan told Saharareporters that the acting president “has no plans to renew Iwu’s tenure when it expires in June. A US source also corroborated the assertion, telling our reporter that Washington was confident that “Mr. Iwu will definitely be let go.”

A source in Abuja told Saharareporters that Jonathan decided not to fire Iwu arbitrarily “so that Professor Iwu’s friends in the [Nigerian] Senate would not have cause to give a hard time to Iwu’s replacement.” Our sources said Jonathan has vetted several candidates and already settled on Iwu’s replacement.

Jonathan is scheduled to arrive the US tomorrow on a four-day working visit that would include a meeting on Sunday with President Obama as well as a series of other meetings, speeches and engagements.

The US trip is the first since his appointment as Acting President.[/b]

WTF? Wat r u raving about?

bringing out more reasons to justify why Iwu should not come back I guess

And this changes what??

father ab:


A Presidency source told our correspondent on the telephone that Iwu’s fate had been sealed as four prominent Nigerians had been shortlisted as his likely successors.

Williams, Agbakoba, Jega and Ibrahim were members of the Justice Muhammadu Uwais-led 22-member Electoral Reform Committee.

Honestly if govt can engage the services of these 4 wise men or in this order (1) Williams (2) Agbokoba (3) Ibrahim and (4) Jega.  I like this move by Goodluck.

This Iwu must go issue, to me is already overflogged.
Is he still around?

Olisa Agbakoba is my preferred choice amongst all the likely successors.

LET THERE BE PEACE AND TRANSPIRACY

no be Wole Soyinka or Alpha Belgore or Anyaoku again ?

The last time I checked there can only be one INEC chairman at a time.

Lets allow the President to do his job when the time comes

these guys may be good, but i still want prof wole soyinka on that sit

its amazing that people think by removing the inec chairman would solve the nigerian election albatross??


i have said it before and would still say it again!!!!!! the problem is not the chair, IT IS THE POLITICIANS!!!!!!!!

IF YOU LIKE, PUT THE POPE (no pun intended to the catholics )it would not solve nigerian election problem,

how do u solve election violence with the inec chair how would u stop ballot box snatchings, stuffing, multiplication of votes


do people actually know that there are full fledged commisioners on the inec board and he is just a chairman


do people know that there are state electoral commisions

do people still know that of all the electoral reforms being canvassed, that the president woould still reserve the right to appoint who he wants.


if he puts soyinka there, soyinka must still answer to his boss.


am tired of all these escapist solutions, instead of solving the root of the problem, you are cutting off the shoot


***********HISSES AND MOVES ON TO NEXT POST************

Iwu=Ewu=Goat

wetin goat sabi other than to chew

kobikwelu:

its amazing that people think by removing the inec chairman would solve the nigerian election albatross??


i have said it before and would still say it again!!!!!! the problem is not the chair, IT IS THE POLITICIANS!!!!!!!!

IF YOU LIKE, PUT THE POPE (no pun intended to the  catholics )it would not solve nigerian election problem,

how do u solve election violence with the inec chair how would u stop ballot box snatchings, stuffing, multiplication of votes


do people actually know that there are full fledged commisioners  on the inec board and he is just a chairman


do people know that there are state electoral commisions

do people still know that of all the electoral reforms being canvassed, that the president woould still reserve the right to appoint who he wants.


if he puts soyinka there, soyinka must still answer to his boss.


am tired of all these escapist solutions, instead of solving the root of the problem, you are cutting off the shoot  


***********HISSES AND MOVES ON TO NEXT POST************

True talk u worded there. However, I think New INEC Chairman should have power to choose whoever he wanted to work with? If this is true, then he can choose credible pple to work with and thereby eliminate/curb election rigging to some extent. Just the way I see it.

So IWU is now a thief eh? Let them give it to the retired major general.

kobikwelu:

its amazing that people think by removing the inec chairman would solve the nigerian election albatross??


i have said it before and would still say it again!!!!!! the problem is not the chair, IT IS THE POLITICIANS!!!!!!!!

IF YOU LIKE, PUT THE POPE (no pun intended to the catholics )it would not solve nigerian election problem,

how do u solve election violence with the inec chair how would u stop ballot box snatchings, stuffing, multiplication of votes


do people actually know that there are full fledged commisioners on the inec board and he is just a chairman


do people know that there are state electoral commisions

do people still know that of all the electoral reforms being canvassed, that the president woould still reserve the right to appoint who he wants.


if he puts soyinka there, soyinka must still answer to his boss.


am tired of all these escapist solutions, instead of solving the root of the problem, you are cutting off the shoot


***********HISSES AND MOVES ON TO NEXT POST************

The head of any electoral body has a significant role to play in the polity of any nation. If the man is corrupt then, no atom of mercy on the electorates.
Humphrey Nwosu held his ground against IBB, can you say same for Iwu? If he were to be in that position at that time?

Pathetic Country . . . I never Knew IWU was the problem . . PUT a Spiritual leader there and the same-thing would still happen . .
Only one man can not be slaughtered, for the wrong of an entire system . . . The electoral system in Nigeria is UTTER Abrakadabra . . .
If they are not serious about changing the state of Electoral system, then this is just a total waste of TIME . . . Electoral Reform NOW!

kobikwelu:

its amazing that people think by removing the inec chairman would solve the nigerian election albatross??


i have said it before and would still say it again!!!!!! the problem is not the chair, IT IS THE POLITICIANS!!!!!!!!

IF YOU LIKE, PUT THE POPE (no pun intended to the  catholics )it would not solve nigerian election problem,

how do u solve election violence with the inec chair how would u stop ballot box snatchings, stuffing, multiplication of votes


do people actually know that there are full fledged commisioners  on the inec board and he is just a chairman


do people know that there are state electoral commisions

do people still know that of all the electoral reforms being canvassed, that the president woould still reserve the right to appoint who he wants.


if he puts soyinka there, soyinka must still answer to his boss.


am tired of all these escapist solutions, instead of solving the root of the problem, you are cutting off the shoot  


***********HISSES AND MOVES ON TO NEXT POST************

True talk removing this guy is not really the answer. and i think this man has the experience judging from last three election he conduct. giving him the last chance would have been the best option.it will also be of his own interest if he admit that the election that bring yaradua to power was fraud

The head of any electoral body has a significant role to play in the polity of any nation. If the man is corrupt then, no atom of mercy on the electorates.
Humphrey Nwosu held his ground against IBB, can you say same for Iwu? If he were to be in that position at that time?

meexteriox

plsss spare me!!!!what am saying is that the whole mentality of politicianns have to change, the win at all cost mentality.

do u know the amount that these state governors control.

thats y they wont want to leave.

i stand by what i said!!!!!! as far as our political elites are power hungry , no inec chair can stop them.

if u like put soyinka!!!!! would he be on ground to personally count all the votes in every ward in the country?? would he be the 1 to control the police to ensure fairnesss.

its ok to blame the head!!!

but the way nigerians are behaving as if removing the inec chair is the final solution to our election problem.

If any of the names pencilled down is chosen, it will improve Jonathan's rating and credibility.

Pastor Tunde Bakare should be appointed as the INEC chairman.

If Olisa is still friends with the current NBA President and he becomes INEC Chairman then lets expect fireworks (in the good light oh)

splashbaby:

Another square peg in another round hole!

Exactly!!

The ag president can also replace IWU with the Pope;unfortunately, elections will always be won and lost.In Nigeria, the losers will always cry blue murder and call for the sack of the election umpire.

removing Iwu may not be the total solution to Nigeria's election problems but it's a step in the right direction. Rome wasn't built in a day and i was started with single blocks and not massive rocks. You can't say because removing Iwu won't bring a total change in the electioneering system, he should be left there to continue the way he has done over the last few years. Iwu, on average, has failed and as for a last chance, I don't think so. The Anambra elections was the last chance and while it was not a massive failure, it wasn't a success either. If the Inec chair is corrupt, it gives politicians confidence to perpetrate all kinds of electoral malpractices since they know he won't investigate them or try to stop them in any way.we want a change true, but we can't expect it to happen all at once cos that's being plain unrealistic.

metal-gong:

Exactly!!

The ag president can also replace IWU with the Pope;unfortunately, elections will always be won and lost.In Nigeria, the losers will always cry blue murder and call for the sack of the election umpire.

What the heck are you saying? Of course there will always be a winner and a loser that we know, but the manner in which it comes to play is what really counts. Having some 1 credible hold the position and given a free hand to select credible hands like himself will go a long way in reducing the level of election malpractices in the polity.
What will you say of an irresponsible ingrate that comes out to support and uphold an election as being fair, an election that even a four year old knew all the shady dealings and i must occupy that seat at all cost attitude that transpired. Wouldn't he have stood his ground like the then Humphry Nwosu did.
He has done nothing meaningful to vindicate himself
#crucify him
Abeg ENOUGH IS ENOUGH jor!!!
IWU should GO!!!

I agree with proproman.
Those who are saying his sack won't change anything, what do you propose then?
The williams guy sounds like a no nonsense person. He might be the best man for the job.
Thumbs up to Jonathan. More grease to your elbow.

Iwu allowed himself to be used by OBJ . He is facing the consequence alone now.
Gen Williams is my first choice there. He remain the only retired General that do not hold political post during the military regime. Agbakoba the next choice.